Wind takes toll on golfers

The wind came sweeping down the plains -- and the greens and the fairways -- Monday.

But the breezy location wasn't Oklahoma. Instead, the Tonganoxie High golf team competed in the Lansing Invitational at the Leavenworth Country Club.

Playing through the windy conditions, the Tonganoxie team finished 10th out of 11 teams, scoring 407 points. Topeka Hayden finished first with a 321. Piper's Jeffery Clark won the invitational, shooting a 73 on the 18-hole course.

"I was surprised at some of the other schools' scores to be as low as they were," THS coach Darren Neas said. "For a lot of our kids, every different weather condition is a new experience for them just because of the amount of playing time they've had."

Hayden's John Newcomer was the Wildcats' top golfer. He took second with a 77. Piper's Stan Wiehe took third with a 78 and four players tied for fourth with 80.

Mat Overbaugh led Tonganoxie with a 97. Cody Sims shot a 102, while Cody Owsley carded a 103 and Luke Brown a 105. Finishing out Tonganoxie's scoring were Adam Reetz (106) and John Bretthauer (120).

The Chieftains finished ahead of Kansas City Christian, which scored a 417. Piper took second (322), Lansing was third (342) and Ottawa fourth (351). Mill Valley Bonner Springs, Immaculata, Basehor-Linwood and De Soto rounded out the top 9.

Tonganoxie also was in action last Wednesday in a dual against Kansas City Sumner at Painted Hills Golf Course in Kansas City, Kan. The Chieftains won, scoring 198 to Sumner's 201. Sims was low scorer with a 47, while Overbaugh shot a 48. Brown carded a 51, Owsley a 52, Chase Nowak a 54 and Bretthauer a 60.

In a junior varsity quadrangular at Shawnee Mission, THS took fourth with 200 in a nine-hole competition. Shawnee Mission was first with a 172, SM Northwest second with a 188 and Shawnee Mission South third with a 190.

Brown led Tonganoxie with a 48. Sims and Reetz each carded 49s. Nowak had a 54, Zach Pistora a 60 and Garrett Kelly shot a 64.

The Chieftains won't golf again until 9 a.m. April 26 at the Osawatomie Invitational.

Although results did not meet The Mirror's deadline, the junior varsity golfed in the Blazer Invitational at the Gardner Golf Course. On Thursday, the JV travels Thursday to De Soto (Oak Country Golf Course) and Friday to Mill Valley (Sunflower Hills).